Summary

The publishers were again considering the publication of Mr Bliss, which had previously languished due to the complexity of the illustrations[note 1], but Tolkien did not feel he had the time to undertake redrawing them.

He lamented that he had not managed to progress past the first chapter of The Lord of the Rings, remarking:

They say it is the first step that costs the effort. I do not find it so. I am sure I could write unlimited 'first chapters'. I have indeed written many.